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Old 03-28-2014, 01:39 AM   #1  
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Default Help getting started while working from home

Hi, I just registered here... I realize the irony of my situation as I've spent the whole day sitting on my butt currently with an ice cream sundae in front of me, but I really need some help trying to lose a bit of weight.

I never had a weight problem before and never realized that I did have one until just recently, as it crept up slowly! I used to be a gym junkie and very conscious of staying thin, but recently due to lifestyle changes, I've obviously gained a lot of weight.

I've moved overseas to Asia from America, where it's no longer so popular, or accessible, to exercise, and where there's also a lot of great food! I've also gotten married, so I now cook a lot and go eat out with my husband a lot, whereas before I didn't really pay much attention to actually enjoying food. Finally, since graduating college I've also started working full-time from home, which means I can spend the day lying around in my PJs and snacking all the while I work.

So I guess my question is, I don't really even know where to start! I'm not eager to start weighing myself every day or counting calories, but I also do realize that I don't have a very active or healthy lifestyle at the moment. I don't want to be stick thin like I was as a teenager, but I also don't want to keep growing out of my clothes, especially where I live where I'm already a large or extra-large size, and am noticing lumps and rolls for the first time in my life. Any good general tips for dieting and getting started?

Also, does anyone else work at home and have any suggestions for sticking to a diet when the temptation to laze around and eat a lot is always there?
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Old 03-28-2014, 02:01 AM   #2  
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If you don't want to count calories, keep a food diary. You need to have some incentive to eat less and you need to be able to keep an eye on what you are doing.

Sounds like some exercise would be a good idea for you. If i didn't have a tummy ache today i was going to start doing prostrations. I did them once before as a form of exercise when i couldn't go out to do it.

Make sure you put a cushion down for your knees and don't over do it.

Probalby 100 a day is enough. It will give all your muscles a work out and make you puff. So probably pretty good all around, If you do a lot you may find your knees start to hurt so i don't recommend doing a lot.

And build up to 100, don't try to do them all at once unless you are reasonably fit now.

Get out of your pjs when you get up. Its sounds like you are descending into a bad place. Do you not at least have clothes to wear around the house.

And go out every day somewhere.

If you ever get serious about following some sort of plan here are my tips: don't restrict your calories too much. You may well end up fatter than when you started. Slowly is much better.

Keep the balance of macronutrients in a rough ration of 55% carbs, (reduced refined carbs)25% protein and the rest fats. Most of your fats should be good fats if possible. You can look that up if you need to.and eat 2.5 cups of vegetables a day. and fruit.

If you eat some protein at every meal it will help satisfy you longer.

Quitting all refined sugars might be an easy way for you to lose weight if you don't have too much to lose. If you find yourself getting peckish, eat something low in calories. Make a fruit salad and eat with 1/2 cup of natural yoghurt. But i don't know what foods you have easily available there so that might not be the best suggestion.
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Old 03-28-2014, 03:10 AM   #3  
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Hm, a food diary might be a nice option to at least keep track of how much I'm eating.

Of course I do have clothes to go out in...and I do have to get up and get dressed to at least go out and run errands during the day, and I do go work outside somewhere at least once per day. It's just when I have a really tough project, it's very comforting to make it a "lazy day" and work at home in sweats for at least several hours. I suppose I've got to suck it up and find a different way of comforting myself than lying around and eating though.
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Old 03-28-2014, 03:43 AM   #4  
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Oh yes! Marriage and working from home a vicious combination as I well know from years ago. How long have you been in Asia? Moving house is a stressful time isn't it. We moved house last year after a bereavement. We had spent 35 years in the old house and it was a real shock to my system I can tell you. I ate non stop and ballooned. You've taken the biggest and hardest step by admitting you have a problem and doing something to nip it in the bud.
I have an unflattering photo of me stuck on my fridge to remind me why I mustn't much my way through it. I have put the biscuit(cookie) tin on top of a very high cupboard so that it is difficult to reach and makes me, and my husband for that matter, think twice before reaching for it.
What about an exercise bike? I now make myself walk every day. Because my joints are painful I started on just a few minutes, but I've quickly extended the period as my legs are getting stronger.
Instead of sweets and chocolate bars I keep fruit in prominent places and I've also found that eating little and often helps me feel full. Instead of a big meal, perhaps you could split it into 2 or 3 little ones?
I don't need to suggest water to a gym user do I? A glass stops me munching and also cleaning my teeth helps.
It's Oh so easy to fall into bad habits, but its also easy, when we put our minds to it, to develop good ones. Good luck
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Old 03-28-2014, 09:30 AM   #5  
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I'm reminded of an episode of Mad Men in season 1. The ladies were all sitting around gossiping about the divorced woman that moved in down the street. They were gossiping about how they would see her walking around the neighborhood, but couldn't figure out where she was going. They asked her and she said "I like to walk, it clears my head" and they laughed and said "but where are you going?"

Obvious this was a time before exercise and cardio was accepted but I'm wondering if you're experiencing the same thing?

So I'm a stay at home Mom and I run a business out of my home and do some freelance work that is unpredictable in terms of scheduling. The most important thing to do is to build structure into your day and that will aleviate a lot of pressure to constantly be looking for the right thing to do at the right time. Set your working hours, sure it's great to be flexible but in order to be flexible you have to have some structure first. Consider the kitchen closed for periods of time, don't go in there until lunch time.

It's great to spend your day in jammies isn't it? But I can tell you that after a while it sucks!!! Pick a point in your day where you can go for a walk and dress the part. It helps me to put on sneakers first thing in the morning, then I don't have an excuse but to go out for a walk.

I also think that if you do take the time to search it out you will find fitness activities happening where you live. Maybe try to take part in something cultural, not sure where you are but could you do a martial art related to the culture you live in? I live in NY and if I go down to the park there's a lot of Chinese people practicing chi gong or tai chi. I'm willing to bet there are people in China practicing too lol.
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Old 03-28-2014, 04:49 PM   #6  
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I was working from home full time 2 summers ago, when I lost a good deal of weight.

To me, working from home is MUCH easier than being in the office because I have complete control over what food is available to eat. While I realize I ultimately have control over what goes in my mouth, it's much easier when you're not dodging all the office treats and goodies in the cafeteria.

That's my tip I guess, only buy things for your home that you should be eating. If your family wants other things, keep them in a location that won't be easy for you to get too. (For example, my husband will keep cookies downstairs)
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Old 03-28-2014, 04:57 PM   #7  
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Can you get a treadmill desk and do your work on that instead of the couch? Also, when you get up, the PJs must go. You have to make yourself get dressed.
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Old 03-28-2014, 05:16 PM   #8  
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I work from home also. It does make it harder to avoid being sedentary particularly when you mostly work from a computer.

One thing I did was to build a simple treadmill desk so I could walk on the treadmill while doing work (I put my notebook computer on the treadmill desk). This does let me at least not sit all the time.

Another thing is to put structure into your day. Set goals to do certain things. For example, I have goals to average a certain number of steps each day. I don't always meet the goals, but it does help to have them.
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Old 03-28-2014, 05:48 PM   #9  
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I would just try to get more active by walking and then cut down on portion sizes.
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Old 03-28-2014, 06:59 PM   #10  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mary642 View Post
Also, does anyone else work at home and have any suggestions for sticking to a diet when the temptation to laze around and eat a lot is always there?
I've worked at home for the past 20 years. I actually consider it much easier to moderate my food intake at home, because I have control over the groceries. (Well, my husband also has a say, but he eats a lot "cleaner" than I do so I don't have to worry about him bringing temptation into the house.) I can choose not to purchase overly tempting foods.

I suggest you figure out 2 or 3 breakfast and lunch menus that are both healthy and tasty (to you), and stick to those. For example, my go-to breakfast is 2 slices of buttered multigrain toast and a fried egg. Lunch is either a home-made tortilla pizza with cheese, tomatoes and onions or a quinoa salad with feta cheese and veggies. I find these meals very satisfying and don't mind returning to them again and again.

F.
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